JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- President Obama met on Thursday with relatives of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, the White House said.

"The President was moved by their tragic experiences and reaffirmed our commitment to work with Japan to address North Korea's deplorable treatment of its own people and resolve the issue of abductees," the White House said in a statement.

Earlier, Obama took a hard line against North Korea in his press conference with Japan's prime minister.

"North Korea is engaged in provocative actions for the last several decades. It’s been an irresponsible actor on the international stage for the last several decades," the president said. "It's the most isolated country in the world."

"If you’re serious about North Korea being a normal nation, then you have to start changing your behavior," Obama said of the Kim Jong Un regime. "Am I optimistic about major shift in attitudes any time soon? Probably not."

"In the meantime, they’re dangerous. And we have to make sure we guard against any provocations getting out of hand," he said.